Gas turbine



Sept. 2, 1930. c. EfHEMMINGER GAS TURBINE med Aug. 15. 1924 3Sheets-Sheet l VIII/Ill IIIIIIII i2 EL..

Sept. 2, 1930. c. E. HEMMINGER 1,774,972

' GAS TURBINE' Filed Aug. 15. 1924 I5 Sheets-Sheet 2 ATTORNEYS Sept. 2,1930. I c, E. HEMMINGER 1,774,972

GAS TURBINE Fiied Aug. 15, 1924 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 WITNESS INVENTOR CZf/ENM/NGEI;

ATTORNEYS Patented Sept. 2, 1930 UNITED sTATas PATENT or-'r-Icaf CHARLESnnwann Traummann, or nocxwoon, rnNNsYLvAnIa .Y

` ,www Application mea August 1a,v 1924. serial 1ra. 131,804.

This invention relates to Apower plants and is more particularlydirected tothe combination of an internalv combustion engine Aand aturbine. i

An object of the invention is .the provision of. a vpower plant in whicha lui'd'is compressed adiabatically by. a iloating piston of an internalc ombustion engine and then ex'- panded through the heat energy of theexhaust and coolin gases of the internal combustion engine w ence the`energy of the expanded gases is intended to do mechanical work in aturbine.

A further object of the invention is the 1.5 provision of a power plantfor converting the heat units o the exhaust gases of an internalcombustion engine into useful work for causing an expansion ofcompressed air in operating a turbine and in which compressed air form asubstitute forthe mechanical connection between the iston and driveshaft of the engine thereby e inating the losses due to the inertia ofthe fly wheel and the heavy moving parts of the mechanically connectedengine and also decreasing the losses of ki'- netic energy due tostopping of the large, fast moving masses.

The losses of the present day engine, due

toa distortionof the indicator card curvesV 3" .of the pressures in thecombustion chambers are caused by theV iyv wheel and `the crank shaftand therefore by the dispensing of such elements the initial andvoperating costs. will be less not only because of the absence ofthe 3"Hy wheel but because of the lack jof'necessity for requiring heavyVbearings in foundation to support the same and to care forthe impulsiveforcesso that the friction in the engine will be less due to the 'lackof bearings, massive parts andthe lack of im ulsive forces on thebearings causing the si e strains.

This invention will be best understood from,

a consideration of the following" detailed description, in view'of theaccompanying drawing forming a part of the specification; nev-`ertheless it is to be understood that the invention is not confined tothe disclosure, being susceptible of such changes and modificationswhich shall define no material departure from the salient features oftheinventionv as expressed in the appended claims.

In the drawings:

Figurel is a plan view of the power plant constructed accordingv to theprinciples of my invention.

Figure 2 is a vertical longitudinal section of a portion of the powerplant which in- Acludes the internal combustion engine and theiso-thermo expansion chamber.

Figure 3 is a transverse vertical section 60 taken along the line 3-3 ofFigure 2.

Figure 4 is a transverse vertical section taken along the line 4--4 ofFigure 2.

.Figure 5 is a fragmentary vertical section showing an enlarged detailof the-mechanism for temporarily locking the piston against movement.

Referring more particularly to the, drawings, 10 designates an internalcombustion engine cylinder in which is mounted for move- 70 ment afloating piston 11. This pistonis pro- -vided with passages 1'2 in whichsleeves 13 arc placed carrying packing" rings 14. Guide. rods 15 whichare connected with the bottom 16 and the cylinder head 17 of thecylinder are 75 i received by the sleeves 13 and the packing ringsengaging said guide rods are adapted to prevent loss of Huid past thepiston 11.

Around the upper end ofthevcylindenl is formed a jacket 18 which'througha pipe 8 0 19 is lconnected with 'a compressed air storage tank20 for supplying air under pressure of approximately. A10 pounds tothejacket 18 which is at proper times :admitted to the combustionchamber 21 offthe cylinder. 10 35 through a port controlled by apoppetvalve 22. When valve 22V is opened, chamber 2 1 is opened tojacket V18 which in turn is d1- rectly connected to pipe 19 throughwhich compressed air is oon ucted from tank 20. 0^

27 is adapted to supply fuel to the same .It will be noted thereforethat cylinder 10 1s not directly open to the atmosphere. water jacket 23surrounds not only the air jacket 18 but also a portionof the outer wallof the cylinder 10 and has an inlet pipe 24 connected with a source ofsupply while a discharge pipe 25 is connected to the water jacket at alevel which will cause a proper circulation of the water in the jacketfor coolingthe engine;

A conduit 26 connected between a port in the cylinder head 17 andacharge forming device 27 is adapted to supply the combustion chamber 21with the proper charge of fuel for operating the piston 11. The fuelpipe 28 connected with the charge forming device while a conduit 29connected with the storage tank 20 is adapted to `supply suiicientpressure to force the fuel into the combustion chamber 21. A port 30 inthe cylinder head 17 forming an entrance for the fuel to the combustionchamber is controlled by a -valve 31.

A valve 32 controls an exhaust port 33 which is connected with anexhaustconduit 34. Thisexhaust conduit opens as shown at .35 into aheating chamber 36. This chamber 1s provided with a casing 37 having aplurahty of pipes 38 extending transversely of the casing 37 so that theexhaust from the condmt 34 is passed from one side of the chamber 36through the said pipes and escapes through the discharge conduit 39. Abale located at diametrically opposite points between the walls of thecasing 37 and the chamber 36 forces the exhaust gas entering chamber 36from conduit'34 to pass through the tubes 38 to one side of the baiiieand enter the opposite side of the casing from said tubes whilepermitting the exhaust ases to circulate around the outer wall o thecasing 37.

A spark plug 41 passing through the cylinder wall, the walls ofthe airchamber 18 and the coolin jacket 23 is adapted to be controlled by t eusual ignitionV device for ignltmg the charge of. fuel in a combustionchamber 21 periodically during the operation of the engine. A portion 42of the cyl inder 10 upon the opposite side of the piston 11 from thecombustion chamber 21 is adapt ed to bel supplied with compressed airthrough branch pipes 43 opening into the chamber 42 at diametrically4opposite points as shown at 44. These branch pipes are connected with amain pipe 45 and a storage tank 46. The tank 46 is supplied by compreedair at approximately 90 ounds pressure through aA pump 47 direct ydriven by a horizontal shaft 48. This shaft is driven by a turbine 49directly connected with the shaft and the turbine may be of' anyapproved construction.

a The admission of compressed air through tank 46 to branch pipes 43 tothe chamber 42 A of the engine cylinder is controlled by a rotary valvemounted in the valve easing 50 and operated by a shaft 51 connected witha gear 52 which meshes with a gear 53 carried-by a timing shaft 54.

The timing shaft has a gear 55 meshing with a gear 56 rigid with a shaft57. This shaft is provided with a cam 58 which is adapted to operate astem 59 in timed relation for periodically opening the exhaust valve 32.A cam 60 on shaft 57 operates the valve stem 61 for periodicallyoperating the fuel valve 31. A third cam 62 on shaft 57 operates thestem 63 and likewise the air admission valve 22.

A gear 64 on shaft 54 meshes with a gear 65 which is rigid with a shaft66. This shaft passes through stuiiing boxes in the walls of the chamber36 and the casing' 37 and is provided with cams 67 for operating stems68 and likewise valves 69. These valves control ports 70 for admittingthe compressed air in chamber 42 to the casing 37 Where it is heated bythe exhaust gases and passing through a conduit 71 to the housing of theturbine 49. A rotary valve is mounted in a casing 72 and operated by alshaft 73 through a gear 74 and av gear 75, the gear 75 being rigid withshaft 54.

A pump 76 directly connected with the turbine shaft 28 is adapted tosupply compressed air at approximately 10 pounds through conduit 77 tothe storage chamber 20. The shaft 54 is operated through a gear 78 onthe shaft 54 meshing with a gear 7 9y rigid with a shaft 80. This shaftis received within a transmission casing 81 which carries thetransmission of any standard make and which is controlled through agovernor 82 for shifting the gears and maintaining the speed of theshaft 54 at a predetermined rate. The governor shaft 83 carries a Wormgear 84 meshing with the worm 85 on the turbine shaft 48.

Since the piston is not controlled by a fly wheel, a crank shaft, andthe usual connecting rod, it is necessary to provide means formaintaining the piston upon its inward stroke and in a predeterminedspaced relation with the cylinder head 17 in order to supply the properamount of fuel to the combustion chamber 21. I therefore provide anenclosed pocket 87 which opens through the cylinder at one side andthrough the air jacket 18 and the pocket 87. `A collar 95 Von the rod 93engages one end of a coil spring 96, the other end of the coil springbeing in engagement with the stuliing box 94. This spring tends tomaintain the rod 93 projected outwardly,

from .the pocket 87 and for maintaining the member 9() within the pocket87. A fork 97 on theouter end of the rod 93 carries a roller I thecompressed air admitted through pipe l .'67 to open the valve v69 whencethe com` 45 `and branch pipe 43. When the explosion occurs in thecombustion chamber 21 the piston 11 is driven in the opposite directionand at this time the shaft 66 causes the cam pressed air or any othergas suitable for the purpose which has been compressed adiabatically inchamber 42 escapes into casing 37 where it is expanded due to the heatof the exhaust gases circulating through the chamber 36 and the conduits38 with the gas or` air from chamber 42 circulating around pipes 38 andbeing discharged from the conduits 71 with the discharge beingcontrolled by the valve 72.' Due to the heat which is utilized from theexhaust gases inthe cham' ber 36 the pressure of the air or gases fromchamber 42 are greatly increased and are admitted to the turbine 49 fordriving the same.

The operation. of the turbine as has beenk explained operates pumps 47and 76 and shafts and 54. 4

Since the, internal combustion engine is" of the two c cle type theexhaust gases are discharged t rough pipe 34 when the piston is movedtowards the cylinder head, and the compressed gases are admitted throughpipesv 43 by the periodic movement of the valve in the casing 50. Whenthe pistonll reaches a predetermined point and'which is adjacent thepocket 87 the cam 99 is operated for mov.- ing the `member 90 throughthe opening where the pocket 87 is in communication with thc combustionchamber 21 in timeto engage the piston 11 and maintain it againstfurthur movement towards the cylinder headv 17. Just before the piston11'reaches this point the valve 22 is opened by the cam 62 andcompressed air at approximately 10 pounds pressure isadmitted tothecombustion chamber 21 and causes scavenging of the combustion chamber sothat the combustion chamber is completely cleaned of exhaust gases. Atabout the time that the piston 11 is maintained by thekeeper 90 theexhaust valve 32 'is closed anda charge of fuel is admitted throughvalve 31. The cam 99 has been revolved sufficiently to permit the spring96 to return the keeper 90 within the pocket 87 and permit thecompressed gases in chamber 42 to complete the inward stroke of theplston 11 whence the spark plug 41 will ignite the combustible mixturechamber 21j and again cause the piston 11 tovmove towards the oppositeend 16 of the linder and the valves 69 are opened substantially at thetime when the piston 411 tends to move towards said valves so that thecompressed gases 1n 1 the chamber 42 are discharged aty this time intothe casing 37.

The charge forming device shown dia` grammatically in Figure 1 anddesignated by the numeral 27 may be of any approved type such that acombustible mixture rich in fuel is forced through the conduit 26 orvthe compressed air in the container 20 may force a charge of heavy fuelinto the combustion chamber 21. The transmission, 1nd1- catedby thenumeral 81 in Fig. 1 is of the change speed type which is well known inthe art and which 'has shitable gears (not shown) controlled my .thegovernor 82.

The valve 72 is revolved at constant speedv and `is adapted to place'thechamber '37 in In I other words, when the governor 82 speedscommunication with the pipe 204 and likey wise the turbine 49 whilepermitting the gases which are heated in' the chamber 37 to build upsuiiicient pressure so that when are discharged into the turbine 49 theywill have suicient energy to koperate such turbine. The valve 7 2- isrevolved with such speed and the ports 200 are suicient in num- -ber toprovide for a substantial iiow of ex panding gases from the chamber37 1. A Powerplant comprising incombination, 'an internal combustlonengine having a cylinder and a piston'freely movable in said cylinder, acombustion chamber, means for supplying an explosive charge to thecombustion chamber for moving t e piston in one direction, means forsupplfyng the cylinder with acompressed Huid or' returmng. the

the gases l piston and compressingthe explosive charge, v

said uid after exlending its energy: -m returning the piston ing adaptedto be compressed by the explosive charge, a heating chamber adapted toreceive the exhaust from the combustion chamber, a pipe connecting the4heating chamber with the combustion chamber, an alr chamber surroundedby the heating chamber and having a valve controlled communication withthe cylinder whereby the compressed fluid is admitted tothe air chamberand expanded, a turbine connected with the au' piston whenoperated bythe' I' turning the piston chamber, and means for maintaining the pistonagainst movement during certain portions of the cycle of operation ofthe engine forY predetermining the capacity of the combustion chamber.

2. A power plant comprising in combination, an internal combustionengine having a cylinder and a piston freely movable in said cylinder, acombustion chamber, means for supplying an explosive charge to thecombustion chamber for moving the piston in one direction, means forsupplying the cylinder with a compressed fluid for returningthe pistonand compressing the explosive charge, said fluid after expending itsenergy in returning the piston being adapted to be compressed by thepiston when operated by the explosive charge, a heating chamber adaptedto receive the exhaust from the combustion chamber, a ipe connecting theheating chamber with t e combustion chamber, an air chamber surroundedby the heating chamber and having a valve controlled communication withthe' cylinder whereby the compressed iuid is admitted to the air chamberandexpanded, a turbine connected with the air 'chamber and operated bythe fluid under pressure fromth'e air chamber, a shaft driven by theturbine, an air pump driven by said shaft for forcing the explosivecharge into the combustion chamber, and means for retaining the pistonagainst movement during the admission of the explosive charge'.

3. A power plant comprising in combination, an internal combustionengine-having a cylinder and a piston freely movable in said cylinder, acombustion ch'amber, means for supplying an explosive char vto thecombustion chamber .for moving t e piston in one direction, means forsupplfying the cylinder with a compressed fluid or returning the pistonand compressing the explosive charge,

said luid after e ndmg its energy in reing adapted to be compressed bythe piston when operated .by the explosive charge, a heating c amberadapted to receive the exhaust from the `combustlon chamber, a ipeconnectingthe heating chamber with t e combustion c chamber, an airchamber surrounded by the heating chamber and having a valve controlledcommunication with the cylinder whereby the compressed fluid is admittedto the air chamber and expanded, a turbine connected with the airchamber and operated by the Huid under pressure from the air chamber, ashaft driven by the'turbine, an air pump driven by said shaft forforcing theexplosve charge into the-combustion chamber, means forvretaining the piston against movement during the admission oftheexplosive charge, a timing shaft operatively connected with theturbine shaft, and means'eonnected with the retaining for the piston andoperated by the timing shaft for actuating said retaining means.

4i. A power plant comprising in combination, an internal combustionengine having a cylinder and a piston -freely movable in said Cylinder,a combustion chamber, means fdr supplying an explosive chargeto thecombustion ch'amber for moving thepiston in one direction, 'means forsupplying the cylinder with a compressed fluid for returning the pistonand compressing the explosive charge, said fluid after expending itsenergy in returning the piston being adapted to be compressed byghepiston when operated by the explosive c arge, a heating chamber adaptedto receive the exhaust from the combustion chamber, a pipe connectingthe heating chamber with the combustion chamber, an air chambersurrounded by the heating chamber and having a valve controlledcommunication withthe cylinder whereby the compressed -fluid is admittedto the air chamber and expanded, a turbine connected with the airchamber and operated by the fluid under pressure from the air chamber,means for periodically retaining the piston against movement, and meansfor guiding the piston in the cylinder. l

5. A power plant comprising in combination, an internal combustionengine having a cylinder and a piston freely movable in said cylinder, acombustion chamber, means for supplying an explosive charge to thecombustion chamber for moving the piston in one said fluid afterexpending its energy in rel v turning the piston being adapted to becompressed bythe piston when operated by the explosive charge, a heatingchamber adapted to receive the exhaust from the combustion chamber, apipe connecting the heating chamber with the combustion chamber, an airchamber surrounded by the heating chamber and having a valve controlledcommunication with the cylinder whereby the compressed iuid is admittedto the air chamber and expanded, a turbine connected with the airchamber and operated by the fluid under pressure from the air chamber, ashaft driven by the turbine, said means for supplying a compressed iuidto the cylinder comprising a pump operated by the turbine shaft, atiming shaft driven by the turbine shaft,.a valve for controlling theVadmission of the comjacket with -the tion, means for suppl chamber fdrmoving the pistonin one direcing the cylinder with a e otherside of thepiscompressed fluid on t ton for -returnmgthe plston and compressing theexplosive charge, said fluid after e endits energy in'returning thepiston eing ing adapted to be compressed by the piston when operated bythe explosive charge, an air chamber connected to the cylinderto receivethe compressed Huid, a casing embracing said l air chamber and connectedwith the combustion chamber of the englne for receiving exgases to heatthe air chamber which rehaust the compressed fluid whereby the fluidceives is expanded, a turbine connected with the air chamber andoperated by the fluid under pressure from the air chamber, a jacket lembracing the engine cylinder, a shat driven by the turbine, a pumpconnected with the turbme shaft and adapted'to su ply the jacketembracing the engine cvlin er with compressed air,

-combustionchamber of the engine.

7. A tion, an internal combust1on engine having a cylinder, a pistonfreely movable in said cylinder, a combustion chamber, plying anexplosive charge to the combustion chamber for moving the piston in onedirection, means for supplying the cylinder with a com ressed fluid onthe other side of the pistonor returning the piston and compressing theexplosive charge, said fluid after e ending its energy 1n returning thepiston eing adapted tobe compressed by thepiston when. operated by theexplosive charge, an air chamber connected to the cylinder to receivethe compressed fluid, acasing embracing said air chamber and connectedwith the combustion chamber of the engine for receivin exhaust gases toheat the air chamber whic receives the compressed fluid whereby the uidis expanded, a turbine connected with the air chamber and operated bythe iuid under ressure from the air chamber, a jacket emracing theengine cylinder, a shaft driven by the turbine, .a pump connected withthe turbine shaft and adapted to supply the jacket embracing the enginecylinder with compressed air, means connecting the jacket with thecombustion chamber of the, engine, a timing shaft operatively connectedwithv the turbine shaft, land valves actuated by the timing shaft forcontrolling the admis'slon of the compressed air and the explosive chare.

CHARLES EDWARD HEMMING R.

and means connecting the v power plant comprising in combinaj means forsup-

